Mute for a stringed instrument



Dec. 9, 1958 Sl-HON MA 2,863,350

MUTE FOR A STRINGED INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Dec. 9, 1958 Filed Nov. 12, 1954 Sl-HON MA MUTE FOR A STRINGED INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Si hon 777a,

flu 4 United States Patent MUTE FOR A STRINGED UISTRUMENT Si-hon Ma, Cleveland, Ohio Application November 12, 1954, Serial No. 468,184

7 Claims. (Cl. 84-310) This is a continuation in part of application Serial Number 396,436 filed December 7, 1953, for a Mute for a Stringed Instrument.

Theinvention pertains to a muting device for a stringed musical instrument and, more particularly, to a muting device which can be removably secured to such a stringed instrument for muting the instrument through the bridge, and which, when secured, will stay connected to the instrument, but can be easily moved into and out of muting position.

In the past muting devices have been secured to the bridge of a stringed musical instrument, but when removed from muting position they were disconnected from the instrument and were easily lost. Muting devices have also been proposed which were slidably mounted on the strings of the instrument but these devices have not been generally accepted by musicians, presumably because they stressed the strings to which they were connected to an extent that they changed the tone of the stringed instrument and also adversely affected the pitch.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and novel mute'for a stringer musical instrument which is adapted to be secured to the instrument and which thereafter can easily and quickly be slid into and out of muting position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mute for a stringed musical instrument which, when it is out of its muting position but is still connected to the strings, does not stress the strings to theextent that the tone or pitch of the instrument is materially changed.

For a better understanding of the present invention to gether with other and further objects thereof, reference, is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 of the two sheets of drawing is a fragmentary view of a stringed musical instrument showing the device of the herein described invention mounted, but not in muting position.

Figure 2 is a view showing the device of the invention on a larger scale and positioned to mute the stringed instrument.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of a stringed instrument showing a modified type of mute in muting position and also showing the mute in retracted position.

With reference to the figures, there is shown a stringed musical instrument such as a violin having a bridge 11 over the top of which four strings 12 are tightly secured, as is Well known. While a violin is illustrated it is to be understood that the invention is generally applicable to all stringed musical instruments, and partic- 'ice ularly to stringed instruments which have a bridge memher.

The mute of the invention is shown attached to the violin 10, and is identified generally by reference character 13.

The mute 13 is preferably comprised of round, stiff wire, though other shapes and materials. may be used. The mute 13 has a central portion 14 which is arcuate to substantially the same degree as the arcuate top edge of the bridge 11, and the mute has two connecting portions 15, 16, one secured to each end of the central portion 14.

Each of the connecting portions 15, 16 is formed of a reversely bent section 17 which extends under one of the strings when the mute is connected to the violin, and each of the connecting portions includes a middle section 20 which extends generally alongside but spaced from the string, and each of the connecting portions 15, 16 includes an end section 21' which is connected to the middle section and is hooked up over and engages one of the strings of the violin.

Thus the two connecting portions of the mute secure the entire mute to two spaced apart strings to provide a stable support for the device. By having a length of each connecting portion extend under, then alongside, then back over into engagement with the string it is possible to secure the mute so that it can easily be slid back and forth on the strings. In its most forward position, shown in Figure 2, the arcuate central portion of the mute is over the arcuate end of the bridge 11. In its retracted position, shown in Figure 1, the mute is back out of the way and does. not materially change the tone of the violin since the two strings to which it is secured are substantially unstressed by the mute. In its retracted position, however, the violinist can very quickly and easily slide the mute up onto the bridge without even looking at it. Each of the connecting portions preferably is provided with an abutment 25 formed by bending the wire down, then up again, to establish, in effect, a foot which comes against the bridge 11 to accurately position the mute with respect to the bridge without the violinist even looking at his instrument while positioning the mute.

It has been found highly desirable to have a length of soft, resilient tubing 26 around the central portion 14 of the wire, and to have this resilient member in contact with the bridge 11 when the mute is in muting position. It has also been found desirable to have bearings or spacers 27 mounted around the wire 14 and inside the tubing 26- to help the tubing keep its tubular shape in spite of the arcuate curve which is imparted to it by the wire 14, thereby to establish a more uniform engagement of the tubing 26' with the bridge 11. The spaces between the bearings 27 are directly above the 10- cations Where the Wires 12 engage the bridge 11 and i cause the plastic tubing 26 to deform slightly where it is in contact with the strings 12. This compensates for the height of the strings above-the bridgell.

It is preferable to have the bearings or spacers 27 mounted on the wire 14 so that they can roll with re-- spect to the strings. Thus the plastic tube 26 rolls up and down the strings 12 as the musician moves the mute into and out of muting position, thereby greatly facilitating the ease with which the mute can be used.

The modified mute shown in Figure 3 comprises a length of wire 30 having its two free ends terminating in hearing rollers 31, 32 in such a manner that the rollers can easily rotate with respect to the wire 30. Around the roller bearings 31, 32 is a plastic or rubber tube 33 which thereby can rotate with the rollers. As shown there is no center hearing as there is in the device shown in Figure 2.

The wire 30 at each end is bent back upon itself at an angle away from the tubing forming transverse sections 35, then it is bent at an angle toward the tubing 33 forming horizontal string receiving transverse sections 36. The wire is then bent downwardly into loops 37 and back up again. It thereafter extends substantially directly away from the tubing 33 at locations 38, terminating in a transverse end section 39 having a slight notch 4t) in the center thereof.

As shown in Figure 3 the mute is connected to the strings of the instrument, and when in muting position the soft plastic tubing rests along the curved top of the bridge 11, the softness of the tubing causing it to conform closely with the curvature of the bridge. Thus the vibrations transmitted by the bridge from the strings to the sound box are muted. It is easy for the musician to obtain the proper amount of muting as the bearings 31, 32 can easily be removed from the ends of the tubing 33 and replaced by other bearings. Thus the tubing is easily replaceable should it become worn. Due to the flexibility of the tubing the device will adapt itself to instruments whose bridges have different amounts of curvature, and within a relatively wide range, will adapt itself to different sized violins.

A good mute must not bend the strings of the instrument because to do so will change the tone and pitch of the instrument, and furthermore will cause wear of the strings as the mute is moved from muting to nonmuting position. Further, the mute must not touch the sound box of the instrument.

It will be seen that the mute of the present invention is mounted on two strings and does not otherwise touch the instrument. The mute does not bend the strings since the three points of the mute which touch each string define a substantially straight line. These three points are the underneath surface of the tubing where it rests across a string, the top surface of the horizontal string receiving transverse section 36, and the underneath surface of the transverse end section 39.

When the mute is not needed it may be slid along the strings from the bridge 11 toward the tail-piece 42. The shallow notch 40 will pass right over the saddle 43 of the tail-piece. When it is again needed the musician can quickly slide the mute along the strings into muting position.

The spacing of the strings of most standard size violins is about one-half inch, though there may be variation in this dimension. Further, there are violins which are not standard size. Accordingly, the mute of the present invention is made with the sections 38 just one-half inch apart, and with a spacing of about of an inch between the points 41. Thus each of the string receiving sections 36 is about of an inch wide, providing plenty of string receiving surface and making the mute adaptable for violins whose size and string spacing are not standard.

While there have been described what are at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and it is, therefore, aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A mute for a stringed musical instrument having a bridge curved along its top edge comprising: a length of soft, flexible tubing adapted to lie along the top edge of and conform to the curvature of said bridge when in muting position, thereby being perpendicular to the instrument strings; a bearing member mounted within and engaging each end of said tubing; and mounting means connected to each of said bearing members, said mounting means being a length of wire extending out of each end of said tubing bent back upon itself to form a transverse section which passes under and engages the underneath surface of a string of the instrument and bent to form an end section extending in a direction away from said tubing, each of said end sections having a portion adapted to lie above and in engagement with the top surface of a string of the instrument.

2. A mute for a stringed musical instrument having a bridge curved along its top edge comprising: a length of soft, flexible tubing adapted to lie along the top edge of and conform to the curvature of said bridge with a pair of spaced apart instrument strings engaged between the tubing and the bridge when the mute is in muting position with the tubing extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the instrument strings; a hearing member mounted within and engaging each end of said tubing; and mounting means connected to each of said bearing members, said mounting means being a length of wire extending out of each end of said tubing bent back upon itself forming a transverse middle support section for engagement with the underneath surface of one instrument string and bent to form an end section spaced on the opposite side of said middle support sec tion from said tubing and engaging the top surface of said instrument string; the underneath surface of said tubing where it engages an instrument string, the top surface of said transverse middle support section where it engages the same instrument string, and the underneath surface of said end section where it engages the same in strument string defining a substantially straight line whereby the instrument string is virtually unstressed by said mute.

3. A mute for a stringed musical instrument having a bridge comprising a length of wire having an arcuate central portion for engaging the strings of said musical instrument and two connecting portions one secured to each end of said central portion; each said connecting portions comprising a reversely bent section extending under one of said strings when the mute is connected to the instrument, and a middle section extending alongside but spaced from said string which the reversely bent section extends under, and an end section connected to said middle section and hooked up over and engaging said string.

4. A mute for a stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 3, further characterized by a soft, resilient member around said arcuate central portion.

5. A mute for a stringed musical instrument having a bridge, comprising a length of wire having an arcuate central portion; a length of soft resilient tubing around said central portion for engaging said bridge and for engaging strings of said musical instrument; spacers mounted on said central portion of said wire and within said tubing for spacing said tubing with respect to said wire; and securing means connected to each end of said central portion for securing said mute to the strings of said instrument.

6. A mute for a stringed musical instrument as set forth in claim 5, further characterized by said securing means comprising two connecting portions one secured to each end of said arcuate central portion; each of said securing means comprising a reversely bent section extending under one of said strings when the mute is connected to the instrument, and a middle section'extendiug alongside but spaced from said string which the reversely bent section extends under, and an end section connected to said middle section and hooked up over and engaging said string.

7. A mute for a stringed musical instrument having a bridge with a curved top edge and having strings comprising a length of soft, flexible, hollow tubing adapted to lie along the top edge of and conform to the curvature of said bridge when in muting position and adapted to engage said strings when out of muting position, bearing means mounted in the ends of said tube to maintain round the ends of said tube, and a single length of wire for connecting said tubing to the instrument, said wire extending into said bearing means and having two spaced apart portions extending generally parallel to said strings, and having two portions outside of said tubing at an angle to said two spaced apart portions for engaging the strings 10 of said instrument when it is in position thereon, said single length of wire being adapted to connect said tubing and said hearings to the strings of a violin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Harnett Mar. 28, 1916 Olmedo Feb. 13, 1917 Grover Jan. 19, 1926 Lewis Aug. 12, 1930 Kingman Nov. 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany July 21, 1900 Germany Feb. 21, 1919 

